


Yule

by alafaye



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Advent, Family, Gen, M/M, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-08
Updated: 2011-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-27 02:30:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/290674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Heritage. Draco and Harry welcome their son to their family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Yule

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day of the advent challenge at the livejournal community hd-seasons; prompt "snow". Also written for graylor who asked for shadowy winter work.
> 
> Please ignore the plot hole.

_November_

Harry carefully cradled his son in his arms and smiled. He tipped his head at Mary, his and Draco's surrogate, and she beamed before waving him away. Harry left the room to introduce Draco to their son. In the waiting room, several Weasleys were waiting, but though they all jumped up, eager to meet the baby, they let Draco move forward first. Harry turned so their son faced the world. "It's a boy."

Draco took a deep breath. "Our son." He held out his hands, imitating Harry's position. "Please?"

Harry handed the small bundle over and kissed Draco's forehead. "Don't ever have to ask."

Draco giggled, smiling at their son. "He's beautiful."

"And strong," Harry said. He nudged the little hand with his finger and it was grasped immediately.

There was a shuffling of feet behind them and they both blushed, having forgotten the others waiting. Mrs. Weasley held out her arms first. "May I?"

Draco took a deep breath and slowly handed their son over. She cooed at their son, rocking a little. "Congratulations, boys."

"And he's healthy--ten fingers, ten toes, a nose, mouth, eyes, and ears," Mr. Weasley said.

Mrs. Weasley gave their son back to Draco who held him close. One by one, the others waiting came up and looked. Mrs. Weasley, though, was the one who asked the important question. "What's his name?"

Harry shared a look with Draco and coughed. "We haven't named him yet."

"A wizard needs to be named very soon after his first breath," Mr. Weasley said. "His magic will suffer otherwise."

Harry and Draco nodded, though they would have to return to Malfoy manner to consult with the family portraits before naming their son. They'd received permission to take the child home early, provided he was strong enough and his magic stable enough, and they intended to go straight to the ancestral home. Another round of greeting and they were taking their son back to the nurses so they could--hopefully--take their son back home.

~~~

The Manor was warmed as the house elves knew that they were coming. What Harry had not been expecting was the elves to be waiting. They were all lined up, in some of their best clothes if Harry remembered correctly, and looking excitedly anxious. Draco seemed to have expected this. After their cloaks were taken, the elves edged closer.

"This is our son," Draco said. He turned and tilted his arms and the elves cooed. Draco smiled. "We'll be naming him shortly--we have to visit the Family Hall, first."

"Of course, sir," the oldest elf said. He bowed low, the others following.

Harry followed Draco out of the hall through several shadowed ones until they were in a room lined with portraits. Draco had explained before that this room was where all the family portraits had their main frame and it was here that the family held meetings. Draco stopped in front of the one in the center, a man and a woman dressed as peasants from medieval times. (Or further back; Harry was never sure.) Next to that portrait was another couple, this one of the Black ancestors. Harry was behind Draco's shoulder, hand on the opposite. Draco held out their son.

There was silence as the two in the portrait studied the child and Harry, unwillingly, thought back to when he was discussing this with Hermione and Ron.

_June_

"Have you picked out names yet?" Hermione asked as she accepted a cup of tea.

Harry sighed. He'd hoped they would ask just yet. Or ever. "No, not yet."

Ron laughed. "Hermione had names picked out the day she found out. We had a list as long as our house by the fifth month."

"Ron, hush," Hermione chided. "Isn't there any name you'd like, Harry? I'm sure Draco wants to name him after a constellation."

"He does," Harry said. 

"Just not sure which one?" Hermione continued. "It is difficult--you don't know what the child looks like, never mind the gender! It drove me mad, never knowing, and why we as witches can't find out the gender while we're pregnant, that's just odd. Muggles do it all the time and--Harry, what is it?"

Harry looked between them both and wondered which of them was going to be the worst about this. "We...we're not going to name him."

They were silent. Finally, Ron asked, "Family tradition?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Oh, Harry! You shouldn't let Draco make this all about his family! The child will be yours, too. You have a choice and if you want to start choosing names, you should!"

"All of his family--including the Blacks--have been named by the family ancestors," Harry said.

"But it won't be his blood," Hermione said. "I thought you were the one who gave the sperm for this, Harry."

"No, I'm not," Harry said.

She clucked her tongue. "Still, you should be able to have a say in the child's name!"

"Hermione," Ron said firmly. "Wizarding traditions are important. If the child is Draco's and his family has always let the ancestors name their children, then it would be bad luck to not keep with tradition. Even if the child won't be a Malfoy by blood."

"What about your family traditions, Harry?" Hermione said, turning to another argument for her case. "Surely there's something--"

"There's not," Harry interrupted quietly. "I looked. When we were discussing this, before the pregnancy, I looked. Draco did want to make sure that Potter traditions were observed, too. There's nothing, Hermione. No books, nothing in the vaults, no Potter manor, no other family. Draco thinks that it's odd as the Potters were purebloods, but the war destroyed a lot. There's only five remaining Black portraits. A lot of the family traditions are gone."

"And so you're just going to let Draco have his way?" Hermione asked.

"Being a pureblood is not a crime," Harry said. "And I'd like for our child to have some of his pureblood traditions. This naming tradition is just a small one that won't hurt."

She pursed her lips. Ron rubbed her shoulder. "Is it painful for the child?" he asked.

"No. We just have to bring the child to the Manor to the portraits and they'll look at him." Harry shrugged. "I don't quite understand it, but--"

"Why not?" Hermione burst out. "If there's no spell or potion or anything, it should be easy to understand."

"Hermione, this is Draco's and my choice. If this is what we want to do, it doesn't involve any one else."

"Except the child," she pressed.

He rubbed his hand through his hair. "Do you honestly think I'd let anything happen to my child?"

"Of course, not, Harry, I just don't--"

"Leave it, Hermione," Ron said. "Remember what Mum and Dad insisted on when Rose was born?"

She huffed and muttered something like "damned silly thing", but Harry wasn't sure. However, since Ron had mentioned Rose, he switched the conversation. "How is Rose, by the way?"

Later, as Ron and Hermione were leaving, Ron stayed behind. "I'll talk to her. If you say it's safe, then it is. I just have to explain that some families are odder than others."

"What did your parents ask?" Harry asked, curious.

Ron's cheek tinted pink. "They, er, took her to the natural springs up north and bathed her. Very Muggle as Hermione explains, but that's tradition--no rhyme or reason, eh?"

Harry chuckled. "Sounds better than letting portraits stare at the child."

"At least you won't have to agonize over the name," Ron said. "And you can always say 'it wasn't us who gave you that god awful name, it was the family!'"

They shared another laugh before Ron left. Harry sighed and hoped they would never ask about the other tradition they would be performing on Yule later in the year.

_Present_

It felt like took ages, but finally the man in the main portrait spoke. "This child is not a Malfoy. Yet I sense intent from you."

"Yes, we will be using the family potion," Draco said.

The man nodded. "Very well. This child will be sickly in his young years, but will grow up strong like his father. His magic will be great, but there will be a darkness in him." He turned to the other portait and the man there nodded. The elder Malfoy turned back to Draco. "His name is Scorpius."

Draco cradled their son close again. "Scorpius. Welcome to the family, son."

~~~

_Yule_

Harry adjusted the shoulder pads on the contraption Hermione had given them at the baby shower. It kept his arms free so he could carry Scorpius and do other things--like the shopping--but it was obviously meant for a woman and not a man. He wondered what she'd been thinking when she had bought it. He picked up another thick branch and added it to the basket he was carrying. Up ahead was the clearing where Draco was preparing for the day's events. 

Harry rubbed Scorpius' back. "Almost time, baby. Then we'll be back home where it's warm." Snow started falling and he smiled. "Look at that, your first snow." He kissed Scorpius' forehead. "I'll have to teach you how to catch snowflakes on your tongue next year."

Scorpius looked up when one of the flakes landed on his head. He looked confused and blinked. When one landed on his eyelash, he frowned. Harry chuckled and brushed it away. "You'll enjoy that when you're a bit older to understand." Scorpius only gave him a look that said he didn't believe Harry. There was a sudden burst of swearing from the clearing. Harry sighed and joined Draco. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" Draco burst out. He gestured with his arms. "Do you or do you not see that it's snowing?"

Harry smirked and looked up. "It is. Quite fast, actually. Will we have enough time?"

Draco sighed. "We'll have time. Plenty of it. But there can't be any water in the potion."

"Ah." Harry put down his bundle of wood and put his hands on Draco's cheeks. "It's going to be fine. You're the best brewer I know and a little snow won't stop you."

Draco licked his lips. "Well, with an endorsement like that, how can I fail?" He stepped back and pointed at the wooden cradle waiting. "Put him there and I'll get the fire going."

Scorpius gurgled as Harry laid him down. He stroked one soft cheek and was rewarded with an excited wiggle. He tapped the small nose and turned to watch his lover. "Need help?"

Draco waved his hand. "I've got this." He put the final log on and, with a wave of his wand, started the fire. "Now, for the most important part of today." He stepped up to the tiny silver cauldron filled with a crimson potion stood waiting. "Hold him, Harry."

Harry pulled off one of Scorpius' boots and socks. He hushed Scorpius as he kept a firm grip on a leg that was wont to move a lot. Draco tapped the top of the foot and as he drew it away, drops of blood followed. He directed them to the cauldron as Harry redressed Scorpius. Draco added his own blood to the cauldron and it turned a dark blue. He began a chant and the clearing was lit up as the potion turned silver. The fire roared behind them and the water rippled in a small breeze. Harry dimly noted that the fairies across the pond had stopped their cavorting and seemed to watch them.

Draco's chanting ended as light surrounded him and Scorpius both. Harry looked away, blinded. When he turned back, the potion was gone and the fairies had resumed their playing.

"That's it?" he breathed.

Draco nodded, looking winded. "Yes. He's a Malfoy now." He ran a hand over Scorpius' hair which had turned white blond rather than the strawberry blond he had inherited from his birth mother.

"Wow," Harry whispered. He marveled that Scorpius hadn't made a noise.

"Harmless," Draco said with a wink.

"Now just to explain that to the family," Harry said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't say anything," Draco said. "Let them notice and draw their own conclusions. If they do ask you, just shrug and say it's because he's a strong wizard."

As Scorpius was, indeed, strong and was displaying rather extraordinary abilities for being only a month old, Harry knew he'd have no trouble getting that accepted. Draco cleaned the cauldron and turned to the fire. Harry picked Scorpius up and, shoulder to shoulder with Draco, they chanted in the new season and the welcoming sun.


End file.
